Artistic expressions born of brain disorders

CaptionAnne Adams 'Unraveling Boléro'

UCSF Memory and Aging Center

The late University of British Columbia scientist Anne Adams started to paint only after the onset of a type of brain degeneration called frontotemporal dementia, or FTD. Such damage, to the front and sides of the brain, tends to interfere with sources of personality, behavior and language. As her speech disappeared, her artistic creativity flourished. She became fascinated with French composer Maurice Ravel, who had suffered from the same disease. And she produced a painting called "Unraveling Boléro," which attempted to translate the elements of Ravel's music into visual form. Read the full story here.

The late University of British Columbia scientist Anne Adams started to paint only after the onset of a type of brain degeneration called frontotemporal dementia, or FTD. Such damage, to the front and sides of the brain, tends to interfere with sources of personality, behavior and language. As her speech disappeared, her artistic creativity flourished. She became fascinated with French composer Maurice Ravel, who had suffered from the same disease. And she produced a painting called "Unraveling Boléro," which attempted to translate the elements of Ravel's music into visual form. Read the full story here. (UCSF Memory and Aging Center)

Debbie Ayles is an artist in Colchester, England. Some of her art is inspired by the migraines she experiences. Through art like this, researchers are learning more about the symptoms that plague migraine patients. Ayles says these paintings "are both caused by -- and the cause of -- migraine." This painting and the one that follows are both acrylic on canvas.